


You Breathe Fire

by helenamanniing



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Don't Judge Me, F/F, chloe is a princess, dragons au, this is completely ridiculous
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-29
Updated: 2017-03-13
Packaged: 2018-06-05 07:38:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6695803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helenamanniing/pseuds/helenamanniing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Chloe was little she learned that Dragons took princesses. Her father told her stories about fire and ashes and parents crying and all Chloe thought to ask was, “why?”</p><p>“Why what?” Her father said, looking confused and a little disgruntled at being interrupted in the middle of his story. </p><p>“Why do the dragons take princesses? What’s the point of it?” Little Chloe asked, but her father was the king of the entire kingdom of the Bellas and he did not like to be questioned. Chloe didn’t get her answer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even know what the hell this is to be honest. I didn't proofread this so I apologize for any spelling or grammar mistakes. Any other mistakes, for instance the fact that this entire story is equal parts nonsense and fluff, are things that I am completely aware of but considering I have like zero shame, I decided to post it anyway.

  
When Chloe was little she learned that Dragons took princesses. Her father told her stories about fire and ashes and parents crying and all Chloe thought to ask was, “why?”

“Why what?” Her father said, looking confused and a little disgruntled at being interrupted in the middle of his story.

“Why do the dragons take princesses? What’s the point of it?” Little Chloe asked, but her father was the king of the entire kingdom of the Bellas and he did not like to be questioned. Chloe didn’t get her answer.

*

Maybe it was because of this, because Chloe just didn’t _understand_ , that she didn’t really have any fear. Even at age 19, with everyone around her being terrified of the winged beasts that no one ever really seemed to have seen, Chloe wasn’t scared. She never took the threats of Dragons too seriously.

She probably should have.

*

It happens too fast for Chloe to even know what’s happening. One moment she’s just wandering around in her spacious back yard, picking flowers and chasing rabbits and the next there is fire everywhere. She sees a huge shadow on the ground. Wings, her scrambled brain reasons, but before she can look up to find the source another ball of fire hits the ground in front of her and she stumbles back. All that Chloe knows is that Dragons take princesses and she is a princess and oh god, this dragon is going to take her. She scrambles up from the floor and runs towards the castle. She hears screams and yells and children crying all around her. Before she reaches the castle, she feels something on the back of her head and she feels arms around her and Chloe thinks _I’m safe. Dragons don’t have arms. I’m safe._

Unfortunately, Chloe is wrong.

*

She wakes up somewhere that is decidedly not her bedroom and that’s her first clue. Her second clue is that, if she were home, her legs would most certainly not be tied together. Neither would her arms. It would also be warmer if she was in her room. So, Chloe comes to the conclusion that she is not home. At that point, she opens her eyes. It takes a while for her eyes to get used to the darkness all around her. She realizes that she should probably be scared, but then again, fear has never really been in her nature.

Just when Chloe manages to make out some shapes in the dark, the room lights up. Chloe blinks and looks towards the source of the light. It’s a big ball of blue light, hanging against the ceiling a few feet away from Chloe. Chloe doesn’t even have time to question how there is just a _ball_ of light floating before she registers movement to the left of the light source and her head snaps towards it and she sees… a girl. Right there, in the middle of what Chloe can now see is a large cave, is a girl. At least, she looks like a girl, Chloe thinks. There is something about her that makes her seem different than the other girls in Chloe’s kingdom. The girl is looking at the floating light, her brown hair falling down her shoulders.

“Hello?” Chloe whispers, barely audibly. The girl looks towards Chloe, but doesn’t say anything. Chloe flinches a little bit at the sight of the girl’s eyes. They’re bright red. The girl raises her eyebrows, but does not move. She just stands looking at Chloe with her hands behind her back.

“Are you a princess, too?” Chloe asks, voice a little louder this time. She hesitates and then adds, “Have you also been kidnapped by the dragon?” The girl smirks at this, the corners of her mouth and her eyebrows lifting up.

“No.” The girl speaks eventually. She does not offer any other explanation and now, Chloe is getting a little scared. She doesn’t know what’s happening and where she is and this girl is no help.

“Who are you?” Chloe tries anyway. The girl takes a step towards Chloe.

“I’m not a princess.” The girl is still holding her hands behind her back. Chloe thinks that her father must be looking for her by now.

“Then who are you?”

“Guess.” The girl takes another step towards Chloe. There must be an entire army skimming the woods right now. Looking everywhere just to find their princess.

“I don’t understand.” Chloe says, trying to crawl away from the girl. Her back hits the wall and she realizes that she’s stuck.

“I’m not a princess.” The girl says again, stepping forward once again. The girl is now towering over Chloe, looking at the princess with her red eyes. It makes Chloe think of fire and that turns her own insides into ice. Chloe thinks she knows what is about to happen.

“I’m not a princess.” The girl says, smirking. All of a sudden she whips her arms around so they’re both by her side. Her hands are surrounded by fire when she growls,

“I am the dragon.”

*

Chloe always thought dragons were huge beasts, with claws and wings and fangs. Chloe never expected to find a dragon in the form of a young girl with fire on her hands and in her eyes.

All the girl does is laugh at her and move away.

Chloe should probably be a lot more scared than she is.

*

“I expected you to be… bigger.” Chloe says eventually, her boldness surprising mostly herself. The girl—the _dragon_ , had perched herself on a chair on the other side of the cave when she moved away from Chloe earlier. She had not acknowledged Chloe in any way since. And even now, she doesn’t look Chloe’s way.

“And I expected you to be more afraid. We’re all disappointed sometimes.” The girl drawls, but Chloe can tell that she’s nervous. Who knew that even dragons got nervous sometimes.

“I thought Dragons were like—more like animals. You’re just a person.” This gets the girl’s attention. Her head snaps up quickly and her eyes burn fiercely when she talks.

“Don’t compare to me to your filthy kind, human.”

“No, I didn’t mean it like that! I just meant that I thought dragons were like—like big green monsters with scales and fire breath and stuff.” Chloe trips over her words when the girl looks at her with those fiery eyes, but she explains herself and the girl smirks a little.

“That’s what humans says about us? Idiots.” Chloe can’t help but feel a little offended by now. Considering that, you know, she happens to _be_ a human.

“At least we don’t kidnap princesses.” Chloe means for it to come out all snarky and condescending, but it comes out a little pathetically. The other girl just huffs out a laugh and averts her eyes, letting the silence drag on.

*

“So what’s going to happen now?” Chloe asks after what she thinks must’ve been at least thirty minutes but is probably closer to ten. Chloe can’t really tell what time it is but she knows it’s been a while since she’s gotten here and her usually-well-fed stomach is starting to rumble a little bit.

The dragon doesn’t answer.

 

*

“What’s your name?” Chloe’s not sure whether dragons have names. She’s not even sure they have parents. To be completely honest, Chloe’s not entirely sure she’s not just having a very long, very realistic-looking dream.

“Beca.” The dragon grunts out, though, so Chloe figures they do have names.

“I’m Chloe.”

“I know.”

Chloe doesn’t really know what to say to that.

*

Chloe eventually wakes up from a restless sleep without remembering having fallen asleep. Her stomach is rumbling almost painfully now and she wonders, once again, what Beca is planning on doing with her. She looks up from her place on the floor to find the dragon in the same spot she had been the day—night?—before. Her stomach rumbles again, like it’s trying to announce itself. Beca turns to look at Chloe. She looks for a few seconds before she gets up and walks away in a direction where Chloe’s gaze can’t follow. She comes back a few minutes later. Chloe hears her footsteps approaching but keeps her eyes fixed on the ground. She only looks up when a huge pile of food is dumped in front of her. She hears the footsteps walking away again and when she looks up further, Beca is sitting at the table again.

*

Chloe eats. Beca watches Chloe in her peripheral vision, seemingly fascinated. Chloe only eats till she’s full and saves the rest of the food by piling it up next to herself.

“You don’t eat?” Chloe asks eventually and Beca tilts her head.

“No.”

“Not at all?”

“No.” Beca says again.

Chloe leaves it at that.

*

 Chloe wonders if this is what Beca’s life looks like. With how clumsily and seemingly unknowing she has gone about this whole kidnapping thing, Chloe suspects she’s the dragon’s first victim. Ever since Chloe had been there, Beca had sat on that chair in the back of the cave and stared to the table top. She hadn’t slept. She had barely even moved, only getting up to get Chloe the food earlier. Chloe wants to ask her a million things, but she doesn’t know how to go about it.

“Just ask.” Beca growls all of a sudden, startling Chloe out of her thoughts.

“Ask what?”

“Whatever it is you want to ask. I can see it in your eyes.” Chloe blushes a little and takes a deep breath.

“There’s tons of things I want to ask.”  She whispers and Beca tilts her head like she doesn’t understand.

“Ask them.”

“Why do you look like this?” Beca chuckles a bit incredulously at this and Chloe winces at how harshly it came out, but she does not apologize or take it back.

“You said that your kind describes us as big monsters with scales and fire breath, right?” Beca walks over to Chloe and plops down on the floor a few feet away, crossing her legs. It makes her look like the complete opposite of the kind of monster she’s describing.

“Yeah.”

“We used to be. My ancestors were _huge_. They had those scales you talk about. And they were strong. Stronger than any human. Until those humans started developing these _weapons_. Those things that shot fire back into the sky and bouts of steel into the chests of dragons. So the dragons pulled back. And we evolved. The scales disappeared over generations. We started to look more and more like humans. With that came the—the cross-breeding.” Beca huffs a little awkward laugh and scrunches her nose up in a way that Chloe thinks is way too innocent for a fire-y monster. “Anyway, when I have my wings hidden—“ Beca continues

“You have wings?!!” Chloe yells out, causing Beca to jolt and frown.

“Yeah.” The girl just shrugs. Like it’s _nothing_. Like it is not the single coolest thing that Chloe has ever heard in her life. Like it doesn’t want to make Chloe reach out and touch Beca’s shoulder blades, where she imagines the wings must be hiding.

“Can I see?” Chloe asks and for a second, Beca looks like she’s going to say yes. Then she frowns and looks down at her hands.

“I can’t. The cave isn’t big enough.” Beca looks like she’s thinking. Chloe wants to ask. Chloe wants to say it. She swallows the words and asks something else instead.

“Do you have a family?” Chloe wrinkles her nose at the way it comes out. The words sound as if they were spoken by a little girl rather than a 20-year old princess. Beca’s face hardens a little at the question and gives only a clipped nod in reply. Chloe tries to keep her mouth shut. She squeezes her lips together just like she used to do as a little kid when she would feel the urge to say something that her father would probably call ‘audacious’. It never worked when she was a kid, her fierce and stubborn nature forever coming out on top, and it doesn’t work now.

“Where are they?” The question seems to fall right out of Chloe’s mouth. She doesn’t even realize it until the words are hanging between them like thick, heavy fog. Beca swallows hard. For a flash of a second, Chloe feels like she wants to reach out to Beca. Of course that would be ridiculous, considering Beca is a dangerous and fire-wielding monster and Chloe is inherently her victim.

“Not here.” Beca huffs and little puffs of smoke escape from her nose. It looks a little odd, but perfectly normal at the same time.

“Alright.” Chloe says

“Alright.” Beca answers.

*

Chloe feels like she’s been her at least two days. She’s sleeping sporadically and when she’s awake, she talks to Beca or eats. Chloe doesn’t feel like a prisoner. Beca had completely untied her some time ago and except for the dragon herself, there’s nothing keeping Chloe in the cave. Of course it’s not like she would exactly be able to get by Beca, but she also hasn’t tried or felt the need to try. She’s feeling fine, actually. Beca tells her stories about dragons and in turn, Chloe tells her stories about her kingdom. They’re different from the stories Chloe’s father used to tell her. The story Beca tells are simply stories. The reason they’re being told are for entertainment, not for learning Chloe the do’s and don’ts of being the princess and queen of the Bellas.

It’s still a little odd sometimes. The fact that Chloe is spending her time in a _cave_ with some kind of human-dragon or dragon-human that looks more human, but acts more dragon. The fact that she’s actually _enjoying_ this time, even though she really probably shouldn’t. Most of all, what’s odd is the fact that Beca lets it all happen. Chloe knows there’s  a reason that she’s been kidnapped. Beca’s plan couldn’t possibly have been this—sitting around and telling each other stories all day.

At the end of the second day, or maybe the beginning of the third, Chloe brings it up.

“So what am I here for?” Beca’s sitting cross-legged in front of her. Her brown eyes seem to stare right through Chloe (apparently they’re only red when she wants them to be. Chloe thinks it’s pretty fucking cool). She looks at Chloe for such a long time without saying anything, that Chloe is almost sure Beca isn’t going to answer at all. And then she looks away and smiles a smile that makes something within Chloe’s stomach flutter a little bit and then she just _shrugs_.

“Alright.” Says Chloe.

“Alright.” Answers Beca.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess I continued it??  
> This might be even worse than the first chapter I don't even know.  
> Again, did not proofread this because I am a literal piece of shit, but enjoy anyway.

Chloe misses the sun. She likes (read: loves) spending time with Beca and weirdly enough, she doesn’t miss her father or anyone else from home all that much (except for her best friend, but that’s a whole other story). But the sun—Chloe misses the sun more than anything. The way the sky looks when it rises in the morning or sets at night. The way it illuminates the entire forest and the rivers seem to twinkle in the light.

“I want to go outside, Beca.” Beca looks at her with wide eyes and it feels a little weird. Because Chloe doesn’t _feel_ as if she should ask Beca’s permission to go anywhere but the truth is that she has been kidnapped and she’s just not entirely sure what to make of this situation anymore.

“Uhh—okay.” Beca says, biting her lip thoughtfully. “It’s night-time now, though. We can go in the morning?” Chloe is a little taken aback by how easily Beca agrees her, but nods excitedly anyway. Beca gives her a small smile and Chloe is going outside and she’s just really happy.

*

The cave is a lot bigger than Chloe had thought. They walk all the way to the edge, only for Chloe to find out that the edge is simultaneously the edge of a cliff. They’re about a hundred feet above the ground. Chloe has never been afraid of heights, but she nearly has a heart attack when she gets to the edge.

“How are we going to get down?” Chloe asks, distressed and a little scared.

“I’ll fly.” Beca answers nonchalantly, as if that isn’t still the _coolest_ thing Chloe has ever heard anyone say. And then, before she can respond Beca has already jumped over the edge. Chloe squeals and tries to look over the edge without coming too close to it. Beca comes back up, though, two _huge_ wings on her side. They’re red, like her eyes, and they look exactly like she would have expected dragon’s wings to look like. They’re so large that Chloe finds herself wondering where the hell Beca even hides these usually.

“They disappear when I want them to. Don’t really know how.” Beca answers Chloe unspoken question and smirks a little at Chloe’s impressed stare.  “Come here.” She adds. Chloe is still a little apprehensive but steps closer to the edge. Beca flaps her wings softly and hovers closer, grabbing Chloe with her arms. She picks her up bridal style and to be perfectly honest, it’s a little bit awkward. Beca gets them to the ground safely, though, and Chloe is grateful for that. When Chloe looks back to Beca, her wings have already disappeared. Chloe breathes in the forest air and looks at all the nature that she’s missed so much. She lets her fingers slide over tree bark and flowers and walks aimlessly down an overgrown path. She knows Beca is looking at her. Feels those eyes on her. She doesn’t particularly mind and continues walking as if she was alone.

They get to a creek after a few minutes. Chloe sits down and lets her feet dangle in the water. She can hear Beca sitting down next to her but she doesn’t look up. Chloe looks out over the water and feels something settle in her chest. She’s missed this more than she thought she did. Eventually she looks over to Beca, who is sitting with a calm smile. She looks completely at ease, more so than Chloe has ever seen her before.

“Do you always stay in that cave for so long?” Her voice feels a little foreign in the quiet of the forest. Beca still has that soft smile playing around her lips and takes a while before answering.

“I don’t ever stay there usually.” Beca admits. “I just thought it would be a good place for—“ She cuts herself off, smile replaced by another, more uncomfortable one. She chuckles awkwardly and clears her throat.

“For keeping your prisoner?” Chloe says, trying for a teasing tone although it comes out sounding strained.

“Right.” Beca says, looking down at her hands. Chloe wants to talk to her about it. Chloe thinks the best way to solve any problem is to talk it out. But this—this is different. Chloe’s not sure what to say. She doesn’t _want_ to leave, but she feels like she _should_ want to. She knows about Stockholm syndrome and although Chloe doesn’t believe that’s what she’s feeling, she can never know for sure.

“Don’t think so hard. I can hear those gears turning from over here.” Beca chuckles, tapping her finger against the side of Chloe’s head. Chloe gives Beca a small smile, but doesn’t answer.

“Alright, shoot.” Beca says, sitting up a little more like she’s preparing herself. Chloe shoots her a confused look. “Tell me what’s up.” Beca adds and she looks so ready for whatever Chloe has to say. Chloe is completely helpless, she looks into those eyes once and the dam breaks.

“I just don’t get it. I don’t know what I’m doing here and where we go from here. Can I go home if I want to? I feel like we’re friends, but at the same time there’s this weird dynamic between us considering you literally _kidnapped_ me and—“ Chloe rambles and she can feel herself getting more and more stressed out with every word she utters.

“Alright, alright. Relax.” Beca cuts her off by placing her hand on Chloe’s arm. “If you want to go home right now, go ahead. I’m not going to stop you from that.” She looks into Chloe’s eyes and then away, focusing on the ground between them. “That being said, I would really like it if you didn’t tell your father and all his armies where I was because I actually kind of enjoy, you know, being alive.” Beca laughs a little awkwardly and only removes her hand once she’s done talking. Chloe feels like hugging her.

“I don’t really _want_ to go. I just didn’t know if I _could_.” Chloe realizes it must sound absolutely ridiculous, but Beca seems to understand her anyway because she hums something that sounds like an agreement.

“You still haven’t told me why you took me in the first place, though.” Chloe tries to catch Beca’s eyes as she says it, but Beca keeps her eyes trained on the ground between them. She didn’t want to bring it up again, but Chloe feels that it’s necessary. No matter how comfortable she feels around Beca, that question lingers in the air around them and she’s not sure how to navigate around it anymore. Seconds tick by and Beca remains silent. Chloe reaches out and places her hand on Beca’s wrist. She doesn’t move away and Chloe counts that as a victory.

“Beca?” The girl lifts her face and the look on her face makes Chloe’s heart ache. Beca swallows thickly and bites her lip thoughtfully, like she’s preparing to say something.

“I just—I don’t want to talk about it.” Chloe is about to protest when Beca adds, “Yet.” Chloe swallows the words and nods instead. She feels like if there is anything she can give Beca, it’s time.

*

“I like stars.” She whispers it, like it’s a secret that’s meant just for the two of them. Chloe lets her head fall to the side, studies Beca’s profile.

“Me too.” Chloe answers. It’s true, Chloe wouldn’t lie about something as trivial as that, but she leaves a few things out. She leaves out that she has never liked the stars as much as she likes them now, with Beca by her side. She also leaves out that no matter how pretty the stars are, she still prefers looking at Beca.

“Stop staring, weirdo.” Beca crinkles her nose awkwardly. Chloe laughs, loud and boisterous and it fills the empty sky above them.

“No.” Chloe says simply. Beca laughs then, and their laughter blends together.

*

The next morning Chloe wakes up to a voice she doesn’t recognize. She rubs the sleep out of her eyes and only really registers that there is, in fact, someone speaking after a few seconds. She whips her head towards the sound and sees someone sitting with Beca. They’re both sitting cross-legged on the floor. Chloe can see Beca’s face from where she’s sitting, happy and smiling, but she’s looking at the other person’s back. Still a little sleep-drunk, Chloe gets up and stumbles towards the two of them.

“Hi.” Her voice is still raspy, but loud enough for both the other occupants of the cave to hear her. Beca’s smile widens at the sight of Chloe and Chloe can’t help but smile back. The other person turns out to be a guy, with short brown hair and a boyish smirk.

“Hi! You must be Chloe!” The boy says, sticking out his hand towards her. “I’m Jesse.” He grins happily at her and Chloe shakes his hand before shooting a questioning look to Beca.

“Jesse is a friend of mine.” Beca answers the unspoken question as Chloe plops herself down between Beca and Jesse.

“You have friends?” Chloe blurts out. Chloe’s eyes widen as soon as she hears the words coming out of her own mouth. Meanwhile, Jesse is laughing so hard tears are beginning to accumulate at the corners of his eyes.

“Wait, no I didn’t mean it—“ Beca places a calming hand on Chloe’s shoulder and interrupts her angry glaring at Jesse to shoot a reassuring look to Chloe.

“I know. It’s alright. I don’t, really. Just Jesse.” Beca’s eyes settle back on Jesse’s shaking form and she adds, faux-grumpily, “Sometimes.”

“Oh you love me.” Jesse winks playfully at Beca, who just rolls her eyes in reply. Chloe likes this Beca. Granted, Chloe thinks she pretty much likes every Beca, but she _really_ likes this Beca, with mirth shining in her eyes and the playful banter flowing between her and Jesse.

“But yeah, I’m Beca’s only friend.” Jesse says by the time he’s caught his breath. “And that’s really just because we’ve both been—“

“Dragons. Because we’re both dragons, is what Jesse means.” Beca interrupts Jesse, shooting him a pointed glare. Chloe is almost a hundred percent sure that’s not what Jesse was about to say and the way Beca fidgets with her hands confirms her suspicion, but she decides to let it go for the moment. A small voice in the back of Chloe’s head says that she’s been doing that a lot lately, letting Beca off the hook instead of demanding answers, but she dismisses that thought as well and turns to Jesse.

“You’re a dragon as well?” Beca scoffs loudly before Jesse can answer.

“Barely.” A wide, teasing smile is playing around Beca’s lips. Jesse just shoots her a mock-glare before his eyes settle back on Chloe.

“Beca is a little elitist shit who thinks only fire dragons are real dragons, but that’s just because she has a little trouble getting her head out of her ass sometimes.” Jesse finishes by sticking his tongue out to Beca, who doesn’t respond. For Chloe, the information kind of makes her head spin.

“There’s more than one type of dragon?” Chloe herself can hear the curious eagerness in her voice, but she can’t help it. She doesn’t think she’ll ever tire of hearing about these creatures. Beca grins smugly at Jesse.

“My point exactly. Chlo doesn’t even know about any other dragons than fire dragons.” Chloe’s heart skips a beat at the nickname. Jesse just scoffs, but the large smile on his face makes him seem a lot less offended than he pretends to be.

“Well, there’s lots of others. Personally, I’m a forest dragon. Instead of destroying things with fire and being all-around assholes…” Jesse pointedly looks at Beca for several seconds before continuing, “We actually do good things. We care for the trees and the plants.” Chloe soaks up every piece of information, reveling in knowing things that so little humans know.

“That is _so_ cool.” She sounds completely in awe and Jesse looks very pleased with himself, puffing out his chest and smirking cockily.

“Whatever. Only if you like people who talk to plants.” Beca grumbles and she actually sounds kind of _jealous_? Chloe just laughs and throws her arm around Beca’s shoulder, pulling the smaller girl into her side.

“Oh come on, Becs. You know you’re still my favourite dragon.” Beca’s frown softens and Chloe can already see her cheeks reddening. On the other side of Chloe, where Chloe would’ve been looking if she hadn’t been so focused on Beca, was Jesse sitting with wide eyes. His mouth was agape as he witnessed the scene in front of him. When Chloe begins to pull away from Beca a little, although she keeps her hand on Beca’s knee and sits closer than they did before, Jesse quickly snaps his mouth shut and just pretends like nothing had happened.

*

Jesse leaves a couple of hours later, after telling Chloe every single thing about forest dragons and answering all of her questions. He gets up and shoots Beca a look that Chloe can’t quite decipher.

“I’ll-uh—I’ll walk you out?” Beca says, somehow making the statement sound like a question. Jesse doesn’t answer, but looks content with the words.

Chloe only follows after them because she’s _worried,_ okay. It’s a completely and totally valid reason for spying on your friend and your friend’s friend. Chloe feels like it’s a valid reason, anyway. After all, what if something really bad is going on and Chloe might be able to help. Beca and Jesse walk all the way to the edge of the cave, Chloe only a few feet behind them. She hides just around a corner and tries to ignore the feeling of guilt in her stomach.

“—Was that?” Jesse’s voice sounds a little puzzled, but mostly worried. A little angry, as well and it’s not an emotion Chloe thought Jesse was even capable of feeling.

“What was what?” Beca sounds defiant and defensive. Chloe can imagine the way she’s looking at Jesse right now, directly into his eyes with a challenging glint in her own.

“You know damn well what I’m talking about. Since when do you let anyone _hug_ you like that.” Beca lets out an exasperated sigh.

“Whatever. It’s none of your business.” This time it’s Jesse’s turn to sigh. He sounds tired and worried and Chloe can’t help but feel glad that Beca has him. Has this person who seems to worry about protecting her, even if it sounds like he wants to protect Beca from Chloe right now. When Jesse talks again, his voice is decidedly softer. Not particularly quieter, but like it has no rough edge anymore. Just pure and unadulterated worry.

“Beca. She’s a human.” They’re both quiet for a few seconds. “Don’t forget why she’s here in the first place, Bec.”  Beca chuckles at this, in a grim and harsh way that makes Chloe want to run up to her and hold her until all of those bad feelings go away.

“How could I ever fucking forget.” She’s quiet and Chloe knows she’s brushing her hand through her hair the way she does when she doesn’t really know what to say, “I’m not doing that anymore, though, Jesse. It’s not right. It’s _still_ not right. I can’t do that to her.” Chloe hears Jesse hum like he agrees with her. They don’t say anything else, but Chloe can hear footsteps and Jesse saying a quick goodbye. She quickly pads back to the inside of the cave and tries to look as innocent as possible when Beca comes back. Beca doesn’t even look at her, though. She just plops down in a corner without saying anything. Chloe wants to reach out, but something stops her. Something always stops her.

*

Chloe isn’t an idiot. She might be a little naïve sometimes, but she knows herself better than anyone else and she knows what it feels like to have a crush on somebody. Those somebodies have just never been _dragons_ in the past. The signs are all there, though. How Chloe seems to want to be around Beca all the time. The way it makes her smile when Beca talks or laughs or does anything, really.

Chloe’s pretty sure Beca doesn’t notice and Chloe hasn’t decided if that’s a good thing or a bad thing quite yet. Some days Chloe is sure that she should tell her. But then Beca will avert her eyes and change the subject when Chloe asks a question or Jesse will come over and she will catch him shooting a worried look at the two of them and Chloe is reminded of the fact that she knows absolutely _nothing_ about Beca. Nothing of importance, anyway. She barely knows anything about the world Beca lives in and Chloe just—Chloe doesn’t know how to deal with any of it.

And then there’s still the fact that Beca is a dragon. Not a human being. Chloe finds herself wondering if that makes her a pervert. Some kind of weird person-who’s-into-bestiality? Granted, Beca looks just like a human girl and pretty much half her ancestors are actually human, but Beca still very much thinks herself a dragon.

All in all, Chloe is just very confused. The situation really calls for only one thing and that’s Aubrey, her best friend. Now the only problem was that Aubrey was still in the kingdom and if Chloe went there, she is sure her father would lock her into a tower and never let her out again and the idea of never seeing Beca again is just—Chloe doesn’t like thinking about that.

*

Chloe decides to broach the subject anyway. She does it over breakfast, which really just means Chloe is eating something Beca has brought her and Beca is just sitting.

“So.” Chloe clears her throat, feeling unreasonably nervous. Beca looks up with wide eyes, as if she knows this is about to be a serious conversation. Chloe tries to think of a way to say it for so long that Beca starts to get fidgety and just when Beca is about to open her mouth to ask something, Chloe blurts it out.

“I miss my best friend.” Beca looks a little taken aback. She nods slowly.

“Okay?”

“I really miss my best friend and I _need_ to talk to her, but I don’t want to go home because then I don’t think I’ll ever be able to come back.” Chloe knows she probably sounds a lot more dramatic than the situation warrants. Beca looks understanding, though, so maybe she doesn’t mind.

“Alright. I’m not sure how to—uhh. I don’t really know what to do about that.” Beca sounds unsure. Chloe feels her face fall and is about to dismiss the entire topic when Beca speaks up again, more frantic this time.

“Hey, don’t be sad. I’m sure we can figure something out. Maybe Jesse can help.” Beca puts her hand awkwardly on top of Chloe’s. Chloe turns hers so she can entwine their fingers and smiles at Beca.

“Thank you.” She says and the smile Beca gives her is worth every single second she’s spent away from her best friend.

*

Jesse comes over the next day and Chloe can hear him and Beca arguing by the cave entrance. She doesn’t hear what they’re saying, but she doesn’t really need to. Eventually they walk in together. Jesse has a wide smile in his face, although it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. Beca just looks tired, but smiles at Chloe when she catches her eye.

“Let’s go kidnap your best friend, huh?” Jesse jokes.

*

They come up with a plan. It’s a pretty awful one, although none of them dare say it. Jesse will ambush the poor girl on her weekly herbs-run and put her under by using some of his weird plant concoctions. Then he would drag the girl to the cave where she would meet Chloe and they could talk for a while. Chloe could think of at least twenty ways the plan could go wrong, but she was afraid that voicing them would mean that they wouldn’t go through with it and that—That just wasn’t an option for Chloe.

*

Somehow, the plan ended up working. Jesse arrives back at the cave with a sleeping Aubrey in his arms and a black eye.

“She didn’t come easy.” He just chuckles when Chloe asks about it. Chloe looks affectionately at her sleeping friend. She feels guilty for allowing her friend to be kidnapped, but it’s the only way Aubrey was going to come quietly. Aubrey is protective and Chloe’s  sure that as soon as Aubrey caught wind of Chloe’s location, she would have brought every single soldier she could find to save her. Chloe is woken from her thoughts by a groan. Beca takes one last look at the girl on the floor and then at Chloe. Chloe nods and Beca and Jesse walk away, leaving the two of them alone.

“Aubrey?” Chloe scoots closer to her friend and places her hand on Aubrey’s shoulder. Aubrey’s eyes blink open and widen immediately at the sight of Chloe.

“Chloe?” She says, sitting up and reaching out to touch the younger girl’s face. Chloe just smiles softly and nods. Within seconds, they have their arms wrapped around each other and Chloe realizes just _how_ much she’s missed this. Aubrey doesn’t let go for a while, but Chloe doesn’t mind. When Aubrey eventually leans back her brows are furrowed as she scans their surroundings.

“I have a lot to explain.” Chloe chuckles and Aubrey is quiet, still just soaking in her best friend’s presence.

Chloe starts at the beginning. She explains about Beca and the stars and the plan and everything. Aubrey’s eyes widen with every weird turn the story takes, but she never once interrupts. For the moment, Chloe leaves out the whole having-a-crush-on-a-dragon part, deciding to let all of it sink in first.

“This is so surreal.” Aubrey says eventually, squeezing Chloe’s hand to let her know she’s not _too_ freaked out. Chloe knows she’s still freaking out, though. This is Aubrey. Needs-to-control-everything Aubrey. No-weird-things-on-my-watch Aubrey. Daughter-of-the-highest-general Aubrey.

“What are you thinking about?” Chloe asks carefully. Aubrey mulls the question over for a few seconds before answering.

“How happy I am to have found you.” Aubrey admits and it’s only now that Chloe notices tears glistening in her eye-lashes. Aubrey’s voice is raspy with emotion when she continues, “I thought you were gone, Chloe.” Chloe feels her heart break for her best friend and she suddenly feels _so_ guilty. She’s just been here living it up with a goddamn dragon while her best friend and everyone else in the kingdom have probably been worried sick about her.

“I don’t know what to think about this whole dragon-situation, but you sound so happy and I’m just glad you’re okay.” Aubrey says. Chloe’s not sure she believes what she’s hearing, but she’s happy her friend is taking it so well. It makes saying what she’s about to say just a bit easier.

“Aubrey, I think I—“

“Yeah, you have a crush on her.” Aubrey says simply, waving it away. Chloe stares at her, slack-jawed.

“What? I’m not an idiot, Chloe. You literally talk about her as if she’s the single reason flowers grow.” Aubrey rolls her eyes. Chloe can’t help but smile.

*

So that’s that. Chloe and Aubrey talk. Aubrey says she doesn’t trust Beca and Chloe rolls her eyes and says she _does_ and that’s the only thing that matters. Aubrey agrees so easily to let Chloe stay that she’s not entirely sure her friend hasn’t been replaced by some other, much more relaxed person, but then she meets Beca and pretty much gives her a stare-down that makes even a fiery dragon shrivel up and Chloe feels like she knows her again.

She sees them standing there. Beca, trying to look taller than she actually is and Aubrey, looking right into the eyes of an _actual_ dragon for Chloe and her heart fills with so much warmth that she's almost sure it's going to burst.

*

Later that night, when Jesse has brought Aubrey back to the kingdom after agreeing to pick her up again the next week so she could see Chloe again, Beca and Chloe lie on the cave floor. Their shoulders are touching and Chloe can feel every breath Beca takes.

“How was it?” Beca asks gently. Chloe smiles into the dark.

“It was really good.” Chloe says sincerely. After that they’re both quiet for a while, until Chloe talks again.

“Thank you, Beca.”

“That’s alright.” Beca answers, even though it’s really not. Chloe knows how much it takes for Beca to trust any human and the fact that she just _did_ without even questioning it for Chloe is just—Chloe thinks it’s one of the greatest things anyone has ever done for her.

“Alright.” Chloe answers, because there’s nothing else she can say.

“Alright.” Beca says back, because it’s the only thing that feels right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to talk to me about lesbians come find me on my tumblr jaureguiicamz.tumblr.com
> 
> As you may have guessed it is a fifth harmony blog because pretty girls basically just ruin my fucking life and I can't even really do anything about it anymore.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this is not very long bc I'm going on a trip to Spain tomorrow and I really wanted to post something before I left but I wasn't happy with it yet so. This is, as usual, not proofread bc I am lazy as fuck and I do not have time for anything rn. Do you have any idea how much stress is involved in taking a trip to Spain with just your friends and no actual adults whatsoever. 
> 
> Anyway, read this if you want I guess.

Somehow, they fall into a routine. Jesse picks Aubrey up outside of the castle every week and they just _hang out_. All four of them, sitting in a circle and talking and laughing. Aubrey still doesn’t really like Beca and Beca still doesn’t really like Aubrey, but they do both like Chloe so they make it work for her. And Jesse and Aubrey do seem to like each other. Like, a lot. Chloe tries to ask Aubrey about it once and her cheeks go redder than Chloe can remember seeing them ever before, but she doesn’t answer and Chloe is a good friend so she only teases her about it a little.

Sometimes they’ll sit by the river, throwing rocks and dangling their feet in the water. Sometimes, when it’s raining, they huddle together in the cave. Chloe is just happy this is what her life looks like now.

*

Aubrey tells her that they stopped searching several weeks earlier, about a month after Chloe had gone missing. Chloe thinks, _knows_ that it’s actually a good thing. It’s not like she was actually interested in going back to her father and she knows that her father’s armies no longer marching through the woods means that Beca is somewhat safer. The idea of Beca being just a bit safer makes it easier to breathe. Still, it just—it kind of hits her harder than she expected.

Aubrey smiles one of her rare soft smiles at her and it makes her feel a little better, but that night, after Jesse and Aubrey leave, Chloe still can’t stop the tears. Beca’s eyes go wide as soon as she sees them running down Chloe’s cheeks. She scoots closer awkwardly and wraps an arm around Chloe’s shoulder. Chloe leans into it and buries her face in Beca’s neck. One thing Chloe really, _really_ likes about Beca is how her skin always seems to be warm. She figures it must be a dragon thing. Maybe it’s just a Beca thing. It’s comforting either way.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Beca whispers, as if she’s going to scare Chloe away if she talks too loudly.

“I don’t know.” Chloe admits, the words muffled against Beca’s neck. She leans back a little, lays her head on Beca’s shoulder. Beca doesn’t push. They sit in silence for a while. Chloe _does_ want to talk about it, really. She’s just not sure how to explain all of the things that are going on within her.

“I don’t remember everything about my mother.” Chloe’s voice is a little raspy, but she clears her throat and moves on. She can almost _feel_ Beca listening to her, like Chloe is the most interesting thing she’s ever had the pleasure of listening to. Like everything Chloe is saying is so important that Beca doesn’t want to risk missing even a single second of it. Chloe doesn’t think she’s ever been listened to like that before.

“I remember some things, though. How she smelled. Like flowers and happiness. How she used to play with me in the yard and laugh when I was being silly. ‘You’re a goofball, Chloe. My little, beautiful goofball.’ She would say. She and my father would look at each other so happily. When my mother smiled it was like the entire kingdom smiled with her.” Chloe can’t help but smile at the memory, as well. She remembers how the entire kingdom used to look _lighter_ somehow, when her mother was still around. Like the sun shone brighter and the flowers bloomed heavier just because of her.

“She used to tell me stories before bed time. After sh—she passed, my dad would try sometimes. He was never very good at it, but there was so little time he would spend with me willingly that I tried not to say anything. Eventually he stopped anyway.” Beca grabs Chloe’s hand, plays with her fingers. It’s a simple gesture, but it makes Chloe feel warmth spreading through her chest anyway.

“My mom died when I was seven. I don’t know how. I asked my father about it countless times, but he would always say I was too young. Her loss was mourned throughout the kingdom. She was their queen and they loved and admired her and their grief was almost palpable. It hung in the air wherever you went, but there wasn’t a single place where it was as bad as it was at home. The castle seemed even emptier than usual.” It’s kind of the first time Chloe talks about it. She didn’t even realize how much it was all still weighing on her. Beca still doesn’t say anything.

“I always kind of felt like I was a burden to my father. Like, for instance, I think looking at me brought back memories of her. So he always avoided looking in my direction whenever we were In the same room. I just—“ Chloe’s breath hitches. Beca scoots impossibly closer.

“I just thought that it was because he missed my mother. But now it seems like he really doesn’t care." Chloe thinks it might be the most she’s opened up in her entire life. Beca doesn’t even have to push. All she needs to do is a well-timed question and the pressure of her fingers on Chloe’s arm and the words tumble right out of Chloe’s mouth.

“Chlo.” Beca sounds nearly pained. Chloe thinks that she doesn’t even mind how easily she lays herself bare for Beca. She would do it every single day for the rest of her life if it meant she could have Beca looking at her like this. Her face open and vulnerable, her eyes boring into Chloe’s with so much intensity that it makes Chloe feel a little faint.

“I’m not going to tell you that he does care about you, because I honestly don’t know that. What I do know is that anyone who doesn’t care about you is an absolute idiot.” Beca is still looking at her with these wide eyes and Chloe can’t really do anything other than nod dumbly. The sincerity in Beca’s eyes makes it impossible for her to disagree, anyway. The moment is over when Beca awkwardly clears her throat and looks away from Chloe. It’s such a Beca thing to do that Chloe can’t help but find it endearing.

*

Beca takes her outside to look at the stars about every other day. They find new places all the time, flowery fields or places where the trees are more sporadic. They always come back to this one place, though. It’s a small island. Really it’s just a big, overgrown rock. It fits the two of them comfortably, but a third person would already be too much. Chloe likes that about the place. Likes that it’s a place especially for her and Beca, something that no one else can intrude on.

“What are you thinking about?” Beca’s voice is soft, quiet. It’s a question that sounds a little foreign coming from Beca, but Chloe likes it. Chloe thinks it shows that Beca cares.

“You.” Chloe says honestly. Chloe doesn’t lie often and laying under the stars next to a dragon she might be falling in love with, the thought of lying doesn’t even cross her mind. Beca huffs out her trademark awkward chuckle. Chloe loves the sound of it, always loves the sound of it. She smiles up at the sky.

“What about me?” It’s not a question Chloe was entirely expecting. Then again, Chloe never knows what to expect with Beca. Another thing is that Chloe has no idea how to answer the question.

“The usual. I wonder who you are. Why I’m here.” Chloe figures it’s not really lying if it’s true. Chloe _was_ thinking about that. She was _always_ thinking about that. It just wasn’t the entire truth. Chloe was also thinking about a lot of other things.

“You know who I am.” Beca starts. It sounds heavy and loaded, Chloe can hear the frown that’s undoubtedly on her face through her voice.

“You know who I am, Chloe. I promise.” She doesn’t explain, but Chloe thinks she understands anyway. “And—“ Beca stops herself. She sits up and looks down at Chloe.

“You’re here because you’re my friend.” Beca makes it sound all sorts of important. Chloe knows that Beca is actually saying _forget about the past_. She’s actually saying _who cares why I brought you here_ and _what’s important is why you stayed_. Chloe doesn’t agree, not entirely anyway. She’s still curious, but Beca is obviously not ready and Chloe doesn’t want to push her. Beca looks at her with this mix of tenderness and desperation in her eyes that should look odd but doesn’t. Chloe always wants to kiss her, but right now the urge is especially strong. She looks away from Beca’s face, focuses on the sky instead and tries to forget what Beca’s lips look like.

“I’m here because I’m your friend.” Chloe repeats. She says it more to the stars than to Beca, but the dragon seems comforted by the words anyway.

*

There are times when Chloe is convinced that Beca feels the same. When they’re talking and Beca will look at her with this undecipherable look in her eyes. Sometimes Chloe thinks she even catches Beca’s eyes flitting down to her lips. Chloe will shoot a knowing smirk her way and Beca will color red in embarrassment. Moments like that actually make Chloe pretty sure that Beca at least feels _something_ towards her.

And then Chloe will ask about _the thing_ again and Beca will freeze and the entire moment will be gone. Chloe _wants_ to give Beca more time, but she can feel the question burning inside of her _all_ the time. She can feel something building between them, like a weird tension that Chloe just knows is going to explode. She doesn’t want it to, wants to keep denying the fact that this bullshit secret is creating—or maybe maintaining—a rift between them. But Chloe isn’t an idiot and she knows something is going to break sooner or later. She just hopes the fallout is something she can deal with.

*

Turns out Chloe and Beca don’t break. The one who breaks, of all people, is Jesse. Jesse, who trails behind a _furious_ Aubrey charging into the cave. Chloe’s head snaps up just in time to see Aubrey pulling Beca up and pushing her up against a wall with a facial expression that terrifies even Chloe. Beca’s eyes turn red for a second, from shock Chloe presumes, but they quickly return back to their neutral blue color as she stares at Aubrey in surprise.

“Aubrey?” Chloe tries after a few seconds. It feels a little weird, talking to her best friend who is currently pinning her crush against a cave wall with her arm against Beca’s throat. Chloe knows she doesn’t have to be afraid for Beca, but she’s afraid for Aubrey. When it comes down to it, Chloe is pretty sure fire will win over punches. Aubrey shoots a quick look towards Chloe, the look in her eyes shifting to something else entirely, before she focuses back on Beca. Chloe is taken aback by the emotion in Aubrey’s eyes. She still has no idea what’s going on, but she feels like it’s important. Jesse hasn’t said anything yet. He watches the scene unfold from several feet away, eyes wide and nervous.

“I know.” Aubrey just spits into Beca’s face. Beca looks confused for a second, before recognition flashes through her eyes and then— _then_ Beca is getting angry. Chloe can see it coming from miles away, but she’s too confused to do anything before Beca pushes Aubrey off of her easily. Aubrey looks a little affronted, but by the time she’s recovered Beca is already staring down Jesse with red eyes and a dangerous scowl.

“What the fuck is going on?” Chloe tries to get someone—anyone’s attention. It doesn’t work.

“You _told_ her?” Beca pushes the words out through her clenched jaw and Jesse looks so guilty that he doesn’t even really need to answer.

“Beca, I’m sorry it just—“

“You just _what_ , Jesse?!” Beca interrupts the boy’s pleading, taking a threatening step towards him.  Chloe just _really_ wants to know what’s going on.

“Hey.” She stands up, doesn’t pay mind to the warning looks Aubrey is sending her from the other side of the cave. Beca and Jesse don’t listen to her.

“I’m sorry, Beca, but just because you don’t want to tell Chloe, that doesn’t mean that I can’t tell someone.“ Jesse is getting heated now as well. Chloe thinks it doesn’t look good on him. Unnatural, maybe. Not even half as dangerous as Beca, at least.

“Oh, yeah I’m sure she took it real well.” Beca lets out a grim, dark laugh. One that has Chloe frowning and kind of wanting to take a step back instead of forward. She suppresses that urge and moves closer towards Beca anyway.

“I’m sure your girlfriend is just _bursting_ with adoration for you now that she knows you didn’t do _anything_ to stop me.” Jesse goes rigid at that. Chloe looks around the cave. Aubrey, standing frozen in a corner looking at Beca and Jesse with a mix of disgust and fear and anger. Jesse, jaw locked and seemingly not knowing whether to cry or shoot angry glares at Beca. He does both. And Beca, who is _shaking_ with anger and who Chloe just kind of wants to hold until she calms down.

“You—“

“HEY!” She yells, cutting through the weird bubble Beca and Jesse were stuck in apparently. Both of their heads snap towards her. Beca looks surprised, like she completely forgot that Chloe was even there.

“Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on here?” Chloe asks, trying not to sound too exasperated. Her words have apparently jolted Aubrey back into movement as well, the blonde moving closer.

“Yeah, Beca. Why don’t you tell her what’s going on.” Beca’s eyes go wide at Aubrey’s words. She’s looking at Chloe and it’s like all of the anger leaves her body. She looks smaller than she did before, her blue eyes flitting around Chloe’s face quickly.

“Chloe, I—I can’t.” It looks like Beca wants to say more, but before she can, Aubrey interrupts.

“Either you tell her or I will.” She sounds cold. Chloe isn’t sure she wants to hear what Beca has to say anymore, if the effect of it on Aubrey was this. Beca looks around with wide, panicked eyes. She takes a step back, towards the cave exit and Chloe knows what’s going to happen.

“Beca, don’t—“ Before Chloe can even finish her sentence, Beca is already gone. Chloe wants to feel worried, but right now she mostly just feels _confused_. She turns around, fixes Jesse in place with a glare.

“Tell me what the _fuck_ is going on. Now.” Jesse swallows visibly. Chloe doesn’t even have time to think about the fact that she just made a _dragon_ feel scared of her. Jesse gestures awkwardly for her to sit.

“I’m not sure if I should—“ Jesse starts when they’re all seated, but Aubrey interrupts him.

“Tell her.” The look she gives Jesse is something that Chloe can’t quite place. Jesse sighs, drags his hand through his hair and clears his throat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, that's a cliffhanger idk. Sorry except not really. I feel like this is not really that great of a chapter, but whatever. Time pressure and all that.


	4. Chapter 4

“Beca and I both used to live somewhere else. It was like a village I guess, just a couple of families of dragons living together far away in the mountains.” Jesse sounds wistful. Chloe thinks any emotion besides cheerfulness just sounds foreign coming from him.

“Our parents would tell us stories about the humans. They told us about human armies tracking down and brutally murdering our kind. We were taught that humans were monsters.” Jesse looks uncomfortable. He glances over at Aubrey every few seconds but the blonde doesn’t acknowledge it. Chloe doesn’t know if she wants to hear the rest of the story. She listens anyway.

“Beca stood up to them. She said that not even humans could be all bad. At the time I wasn’t sure whether she was rebelling just because she wanted to rebel or if she actually believed in the cause. I think it may have been a mix of the two.” Chloe sees a small, soft smile playing around Jesse’s lips as he recalls a younger, rebellious Beca. His eyes grow darker again when he continues his story.

“She was my best friend. I would’ve followed her to the end of the world. So when she woke me up in the middle of the night saying we had to go rescue some prisoners, I went with her.” Jesse sighs, rubs his face with his hands. He looks exhausted. “I didn’t even know about it back then, but Beca told me that our parents went out sometimes at night and captured humans. Just for fun, or revenge or something equally stupid. She had been watching them, she told me.” Chloe kind of wants to meet that Beca. Passionate, freedom fighter Beca. Chloe knows it’s not the point of the story, but she can’t help but focus on it. It’s probably the only part of the story that doesn’t make Chloe scared to hear the rest of it.

“So we went out to this part of the mountains where I’d never been before and there were a couple of humans sitting in this weird cage. I kept telling Beca to be careful and quiet, but—“ Jesse swallows thickly. Chloe kind of wants to tell him to stop. She kind of wants to find Beca. She stays seated, looking at Jesse expectantly.

“But they heard us anyway. Beca’s father flew in right when we were escorting the prisoners out. Beca stood before the prisoners, but he was—I think he was blinded by anger. It all happened so fast. One second they were just standing opposite of each other with matching scowls and then all of a sudden Beca was laying on the floor clutching her side. The prisoners were running, but Beca’s father he just—he burned all of them alive.” Jesse is visibly upset, his bottom lip trembling and his eyes watery and desperate.  The story gives Chloe a cold feeling in her chest, like she already knows what’s going to happen deep down.

“After that, Beca and I got banned. The same night. We didn’t even get to say goodbye and he told us that if we ever came back, he would kill both of us.”  Jesse sighs softly, looking forlornly at the cave wall. “Beca isolated herself. I didn’t even know where she went. She just left me alone in the woods and went off somewhere to go be sad.” Chloe can hear the tiny little sliver of blame that slips into Jesse’s voice, but she decides to ignore it.

“She missed her family. Her father may have been a dick, but Beca had always had a good relationship with her mother and she was just—she wasn’t doing well. I hadn’t seen her for months when one night she just showed up. She had a burn on her arm and for the first few days she wouldn’t tell me what happened. After a while she admitted that she had gone back. Her father had given her an ultimatum.” Chloe really does not want to hear what Jesse has to say next, but she’s not sure any sound would come out if she would try to interrupt.

“She had to bring them a girl.” Chloe’s heart drops. It’s not that she didn’t already kind of know, it was just different to hear it.

“Her father was—I don’t know why but he _hates_ humans. He told Beca that if she could bring him the daughter of one of the prisoners that night—the queen—we could come back.” Chloe blanks. She thought she knew where the conversation was headed. She thought that after hearing that Beca had originally kidnapped her just to hand her over to her human-hating father, she had gotten through the most surprising—the most painful—part of the story. Chloe’s head is jumbled, too many thoughts swirling around in it. She looks at Jesse with wide eyes, a trembling lip and an empty feeling in her chest.

“My mother.” She says. It’s the first time she’s said anything since Jesse started telling the story and her voice sounds raspy. She can’t decide whether it’s from lack of use or from emotion. It’s like _everything_ just comes rushing back. That feeling when she first realized her mother was gone and every realization of what that meant afterwards.  Jesse looks apologetic, but Chloe’s eyes are glazed over and staring into the distance. She misses the way Aubrey sends a stern look Jesse’s way. She misses the way Jesse hangs his head, looking like a guilty puppy. She misses all of it, too caught up in keeping her breathing somewhat steady.

“I-I’m sorry, Chloe.” Chloe can barely hear him. It feels like the walls are closing in on her, like the ground is disappearing beneath her, like there’s a two hundred pound weight sitting on her lungs. Chloe decides to just give into the feeling, closes her eyes and braces herself for the fall.

*

When Chloe’s eyes flutter open, Aubrey is immediately at her side. The girl stares at Chloe with wide, worried eyes.

“Hey.” Chloe rasps. Aubrey smiles a sad smile. It’s the same one she used to give Chloe back when her mother had first passed away. Chloe hates the smile, but loves Aubrey for it anyway.

“You blacked out.” Aubrey says. Chloe feels like shrugging, feels like it’s the only thing that could accurately represent what she thinks about that. She doesn’t, however. She’s not sure how well Aubrey would take it.

“I did.” Chloe tries to attach a little disinterested hum at the end, but it comes out sounding sadder than she means it to.

“Are you okay?” Aubrey sounds a little anxious. Chloe already knew she was. Chloe could already see it in the way her hands were twisting around themselves and her eyes couldn’t stay still for more than a few seconds. Chloe thinks about it, the question and how to answer it. She’s feeling better. Tired and confused, but better.

“I’m alright.” She knows Aubrey is not going to let it go as soon as the words leave her mouth. Aubrey isn’t really the kind of person to let things go, after all.

“What happened?” Chloe doesn’t have to think about that question. The answer is obvious, so obvious that she’s kind of surprised Aubrey asked in the first place.

“I found out, after more than twelve years, how my mother died. I also found out that the girl I’m kind of in love with kidnapped me even though she knew her father would probably kill me.” Chloe tries to keep her voice even. She fails—obviously, she fails. However, even though Aubrey is not the kind of person to let things go, she doesn’t comment. She just pulls Chloe close, lets the redhead slump down in her arms.

*

Chloe finds out that no matter how much everything falls apart, the world just keeps on spinning. Time keeps on passing by. Aubrey stays. Beca doesn’t come back. Chloe feels oddly calm.

She thinks a lot, those first few days. She realizes that between Beca and her, nothing really changed. It wasn’t like Chloe didn’t already kind of think that Beca’s original plans with her were less than pleasant. Chloe can’t help but forgive Beca for it, after hearing the entire story. It’s just—Chloe just kind of feels this emptiness in her chest whenever she thinks about it. She tries to tell herself maybe she just misses Beca, but she knows it’s something else. She just hopes it disappears when Beca comes back.

 _If_ Beca comes back.

*

Chloe also spends a lot of time thinking about her mother. Aubrey—bless her heart—allows Chloe to talk to her about it. About the things they used to do together. About the way her mother would smile. Chloe thinks it’s helping—thinks it’s probably therapeutic. She’s spent so long wondering how it was that her mother’s life came to an end that she forgot about a lot of the things that happened before the end of it. It reminds Chloe of the other night, when she told Beca about her mother.

Chloe probably spends most of her time thinking about _that_. Beca and her mother. She thinks about Beca—a younger, more passionate Beca than the one she knows—trying to save her mother’s life. She tries not to think about the fact that Beca failed in doing so, but sometimes the thought slips through anyway.

*

Beca comes back eventually. It’s 19 days after everything went down—Chloe counted. Chloe finds out that the calmness she had been feeling doesn’t really maintain once she’s looking into Beca’s eyes.

“Hi.” Beca has a tiny, sheepish smile on her face as she shuffles her feet and looks at the ground. Chloe is still trying to decide whether she wants to punch Beca in the face or jump into her arms. For some reason, the thing Chloe wants to do most is stay a couple of feet away from her. So she does. When Chloe doesn’t answer and Beca takes a step closer, Chloe takes an even bigger step back. Beca frowns, looks down at the ground again.

“I guess Jesse told you everything.” Beca mumbles. Chloe feels like the air has been stolen out of her lungs, like she couldn’t answer even if she wanted to. Aubrey is away at the moment, she goes back home every night to make sure she doesn’t arouse (too much) suspicion from her father. Chloe is stuck somewhere between wishing she was here and being glad that she’s not.

“Look, Chloe, I know it sounds bad. But you have to understand that it’s not like that anymore.” Beca pleads. Never before had Chloe heard Beca plead with her like this. Desperate for Chloe to understand. Chloe knows, deep down in her heart, that she’s already forgiven Beca. Chloe knows, on a rational level, that what Beca had done—had been planning on doing, had been an act of desperation and not one of hate.

“The second you woke up here—the second I looked at you and talked to you, I knew I couldn’t go through with it. I didn’t want to have your blood on my hands. I didn’t want anybody’s blood on my hands, but—God, Chloe I don’t know what you did to me but seeing you look at me with those curious blue eyes just changed fucking _everything_.” Beca drags her hand through her hair slowly, like even the simple act of lifting her arm is endlessly exhausting. Chloe still feels that weird feeling, but somehow it feels like she’s getting closer to uncovering what it means. She still doesn’t say anything, fears that speaking will somehow make everything more complicated than it already is.

“Please, Chloe, you have to believe me when I say that I never wanted this. My father just—I _hate_ him for making me do this to you. I just thought that I could do it quickly, kidnap a girl and try not to think about what was going to happen to her. I thought that I could do it for my family. But then I met you and it was like I snapped out of something I didn’t even realize I was in.” Beca’s voice sounds more desperate with every word she says. She leans forward a bit, almost like she wants to get closer to Chloe without actually taking a step. Her pleading eyes bore into Chloe’s, but the redhead continues to listen in silence.

“And I know that I should’ve told you sooner, but you being around just made me—it just made me happier. I didn’t want you to leave, Chlo.” The nickname—maybe it’s the sentence it’s included in as well—makes Chloe’s heart skip a beat, despite everything.

“Chloe, I’m so sorry. I swear to god if I could go back in time I would tell my father to go fuck himself. I would tell that no-good human-hating piece of shit to—“ As soon as Beca mentions her father, Chloe can see fire in her eyes. Beca takes a step forward, throws her arms up in the air in an exasperated motion that shouldn’t be at all threatening. Chloe flinches. She _flinches_. Beca stops talking—cuts herself off in the middle of her sentence when she sees it. Her arms drop to her side.

Chloe realizes that it’s fear. The feeling—the unidentifiable, empty feeling in her chest---is fear.

“You’re afraid of me. “ Beca’s voice is barely above a whisper. She sounds shocked, taken aback, _sad_.

“Beca, I—“ Chloe doesn’t know what to say. It’s _true_ after all. Somehow, somewhere between Jesse’s stories and all the days that Beca had been gone, Chloe stopped feeling as comfortable around Beca as she used to. “I’m sorry.” Is what she settles on eventually. It comes out lamely. Chloe doesn’t even know what she’s apologizing for, really.

“No, it’s—that’s alright. I understand.” Beca’s voice sounds hollow. Chloe wishes she could stop feeling guilty for making her sound like that. “I guess I’ll just go, then.” Beca motions towards the cave entrance, already turning her body towards it. Chloe feels a flare of panic.

“No!” She yells out, louder than she wanted to. Beca turns back around, wide, confused eyes looking at Chloe. “Please don’t go. _Please_.” Chloe’s the one pleading now, trying to pour everything she feels into her words. Somehow the idea of Beca leaving again makes Chloe’s heart clench. She wants to explain it, tell Beca in no uncertain terms that she’s not letting her leave again, but it’s like someone’s scrambled her brains.

“I’m not—It’s not like you think.” Chloe huffs loudly, annoyed with her inability to string her thoughts together. “I just—I just need time, Beca. To trust you again.” Chloe tries taking a step towards Beca. She can see hopefulness in her eyes. Beca nods, slowly, like she’s trying to understand.

“Do you want me to stay here?” Beca sounds a little unsure. A part of Chloe—an overwhelming part, actually, wants to hug her and reassure her that everything’s going to be alright. There are parts of Chloe’s heart that haven’t healed yet, though, and she doesn’t want to make empty promises.

“Yes. Stay.” She says instead, because if there is one thing that Chloe knows it’s that she wants Beca to stay with her, right now.

*

Beca gives Chloe her space. She hovers a little bit, never too far away, but she seems hesitant to start any kind of conversation. Always lets Chloe determine everything that happens. It’s a sweet gesture, really.

On the second day after Beca’s return Chloe can’t take it anymore. She gets up from her spot on the floor, walks over to Beca and finally, _finally_ wraps her arms around the other girl. Beca seems surprised, but melts into the embrace after a few seconds. Chloe thinks she might’ve missed this more than anything. The feeling of Beca’s arms around her, warm and soft and amazing. Beca’s scent, like the woods after they rain and a bonfire under the stars at the same time. She steps back after a few seconds and returns to where she was sitting earlier without saying a word. She can see Beca smile bashfully out of the corner of her eye and Chloe thinks that warm feeling in her chest probably means that she’s healing.

*

After that it goes slowly. Chloe asks Beca questions, determined to figure out every single thing about Beca. She tells herself it’s because she’s just curious, but she knows that at least a part of it is not wanting any more surprises. Chloe knows that Beca knows this, too, but the young dragon doesn’t seem to mind. She answers every single one of Chloe’s questions, in detail. Beca seems determined to make this right and it’s endlessly endearing to Chloe.

Aubrey, of course, doesn’t react well. She drags Chloe outside by her arm, gives her this look that is somehow simultaneously exhausted and furious and says,

“Send her away.” In the past, back when Chloe and Aubrey were both little, Aubrey always used to be the boss. Chloe would want to do something, but then Aubrey would want to do something else and what Chloe wanted more than anything else was for everyone around her to be happy so. She would give in. Over the years it had just… kept happening. Aubrey made plans. Chloe went along with them. Chloe made plans. Aubrey would pull that face that meant ‘are you sure that’s a good idea?’ and come up with something else. So when Aubrey says something like that, the blonde probably expects Chloe to just go ahead and tell Beca to scram.

“No.” Chloe says instead. She may not be a very steadfast person. She may care more about other people’s happiness than always getting what she wants, but _this?_ Chloe is not giving in on this. “I’m not sending her away.” Aubrey looks a little taken aback, but she hides it underneath another layer of anger.

“What do you mean no? Chloe, she _kidnapped_ you!” Chloe gives Aubrey an unimpressed look.

“There is not a single thing you can say that I haven’t already thought of. But I’m not sending her away.” Where Aubrey is angry, Chloe is calm. Aubrey throws more arguments at her, but Chloe dismisses every single one without even thinking about it. After a few minutes of this back and forth, Chloe decides to put an end to it.

“Look, Aubrey. I know you don’t like Beca. You don’t trust her. Frankly, neither do I right now. But we’re building that trust back up. She’s _trying_. There’s nothing wrong with giving someone a second chance, you know.” When Chloe says those last few words, she sees something flicker in Aubrey’s eyes and _then_ she gets it.

“There’s nothing wrong with giving _Jesse_ a second chance.” Chloe says gently, placing her hand on Aubrey’s shoulder. Aubrey frowns at the ground, looks like she wants to protest. Chloe cuts her off before she even begins speaking.

“Don’t say that’s not what this is about, because I can see that it bothers you. Just because you feel like you can’t forgive him doesn’t mean that Beca and I can’t find a way for me to forgive her.” Chloe looks deep into Aubrey’s eyes, thinks this might be the realest she’s ever been with Aubrey. Aubrey is still frowning, looking altogether uncomfortable. Chloe watches Aubrey roll her shoulders, sigh deeply, shuffle her feet.

“You’re right.” Is what eventually comes out. It shocks Chloe into silence, leaves her standing there staring at Aubrey with her mouth agape and her eyebrows hiked up.

“Oh, don’t give me that look. I can admit when I’m wrong.” Aubrey scoffs, rolls her eyes fondly. The sight of it makes Chloe feel hopeful. She lets out a small giggle.

“Since when?” Chloe says, teasing smile playing around her lips. Aubrey laughs as well, soft and deep and full of promise. Chloe looks at Aubrey and thinks yeah. Yeah, they’re going to be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right so second-to-last chapter. Figured I'd end this one on a positive note. Sorry for any mistakes and also general awfulness. 
> 
> By the way, I don't know if I've already said this before but thank you to everyone who's given me kudos or who's commented on this story. I'm really bad at replying to comments, mostly bc any kind of praise just makes me feel like curling up into a ball and smiling to myself for, like, an hour. But you know, thanks for not hating this ridiculous thing that I made.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick warning: this was not proofread, bc I am an actual piece of trash

“What about water?” Chloe asks, her voice echoing around the cave. Beca and Chloe are sitting on the floor, apart but close enough to be touching if they wanted to.

“Yeah, there’s water dragons too. They live underwater, though, so humans don’t really ever see them.” Beca has this tone, this tilt to her voice, when she explains things to Chloe. Endless patience shines through every syllable. It’s like Beca wants to convey, even just in her tone of voice, that there is not a single question that Chloe could ask that would make her flee again.

It’s been three weeks since Beca came back and although Chloe ran out of important questions-about-Beca a few days ago, there are still millions of things Chloe wants to ask about dragons and mythical creatures and this entire world that she knew next to nothing about until a few months ago.

“So why do humans only picture the fiery type of dragon even though there’s so many others as well?” Beca looks at Chloe for a few seconds before shrugging, a clueless look on her face. Chloe thinks it looks really cute.

“I don’t know. Probably because they want the stories to scare children and—“ Beca trails off, her frowning look trained on the floor. “we’re really good at scaring people.” The way she says it makes something break in Chloe’s heart. She doesn’t know how to respond, so she just scoots a little closer and squeezes Beca’s hand. She’s been noticing it a lot in Beca these past three weeks, this guilt that seems to be eating away at the other girl. She doesn’t know how to bring it up without somehow making it worse. If she wants to talk about it, Chloe figures, she’ll start the conversation herself.

*

Beca, of course, doesn’t start the conversation herself. Another few weeks go by and a lot of things go back to the way they were before Beca left. Aubrey starts visiting them again, a little over a month after Beca’s return. Chloe sees how hard Beca tries to be nice to her, even though Aubrey does little but glare at the dragon in response. Beca’s attempts, her refusal to get mad at Aubrey for anything, make something swell in Chloe’s chest anyway.

Chloe can see that Beca still feels guilty and every single day Chloe feels like it gets worse. Eventually she figures Beca would sooner implode from all this pent-up guilt than actually mention it, so Chloe decides to take matters into her own hands after all.

“Becs,” Chloe speaks softly, but somehow the sound of her voice still seems to fill the entire cave. Beca’s eyes meet Chloe’s and she raises her eyebrows, a silent cue for her to continue. “I feel like we need to talk.” Chloe’s not sure how to broach the subject and Beca must sense her hesitance because her face morphs into an encouraging smile.

“About what?” Even though Beca is still smiling encouragingly, Chloe can see the nerves hidden underneath it. Like Chloe is just going to tell her that she wants to leave and jump right out of Beca’s life. Or maybe like Chloe is going to tell _Beca_ to get out her life. Either idea is absolutely ridiculous, of course. Chloe thinks to herself that there was no way she could live the rest of her life without the dragon’s presence in it.

“Uhh—Well, sometimes it seems like you—like maybe you’re still feeling guilty for everything that happened?” Chloe stumbles through the sentence like a ten-year-old during show and tell. It’s strange, she’s not used to being nervous or unsure of herself. The nerves Chloe feels are nothing compared to those she can see shimmering in Beca’s eyes, though.

“Of course I am.” Beca’s eyes are trained on the ground, a deep frown on her face. “I _scared_ you, Chloe. I—I kidnapped you. I didn’t tell you what was going on and I hurt you and you were scared of me and—“ Beca’s still looking down at the ground, but Chloe can hear that she’s close to crying by the trembling of her voice.

“Hey,” Chloe interrupts softly, letting her hand hover near Beca’s shoulder. She doesn’t touch the young dragon, makes sure to allow Beca to decide when she wants to be touched. “Becs. I know you did all of those things and I’m not saying they weren’t bad things. I’m just saying it’s okay to stop feeling guilty by now. For every bad thing that you did, you did so many more good ones.” Beca scooches a little closer to Chloe as she talks, subconsciously. She’s still avoiding Chloe’s eyes, but she absorbs every word. The frown on her face, although not disappearing entirely, seems to soften a little bit.

“I—I still did all of those bad things, though. And I will feel guilty for that until you’re ready to forgive me. If you’re ever ready to forgive me.” The frown deepens again when Beca utters those last words, looking absolutely heartbroken at the prospect of Chloe never forgiving her. Chloe just stares at the young dragon in front of her, involuntarily letting out a small huff of disbelieving laughter. Beca looks up, a little affronted tilt to her mouth that Chloe thinks is adorable, although she knows Beca doesn’t want it to be.

“Becs. Do you really think I haven’t forgiven you yet?” The affronted look on Beca’s face morphs in one of wide-eyed surprise. There’s a small, excited smile that Chloe can see is tugging at her lips. Like it wants to grow bigger, but a part of Beca is still too scared to let it.

“You have?” Beca asks softly, her voice a little croaky. The fact that Chloe is sitting here, in a cave, with an actual real-life dragon who is looking at her with an excited twinkle in her eyes and a nervous smile that could make even the strongest of people sink to their knees, is almost too much for Chloe. It makes her entire body feel so _full_. Like there is too much love inside of her for her small frame to handle.

“Yes.” It’s direct, but Chloe supposes direct is the only way to properly answer the question anyway. Almost instantly Beca reacts, finally allowing the smile to take over. It’s broader than Chloe has ever seen her smile, probably, and it’s enough to make Chloe’s heartbeat quicken to an almost dangerous speed.

Looking back on it later, something Chloe can’t help but do at least a few times a day, she thinks there’s no way she _couldn’t_ have kissed Beca in that moment. Chloe’s thoughts at the time, looking at an almost deliriously happy Beca, reflect that exact same sentiment. She wants to kiss Beca. There is nothing else, nothing of importance outside of this cave anymore. So Chloe does what she has to do. She leans in, close enough that she can hear Beca’s breath hitch just before their lips touch. Chloe thought that Beca would freeze, in true Beca fashion. A part of her thought that maybe Beca would push her away. That maybe, despite all the lingering glances and the feeling that something this _strong_ couldn’t possibly be one-sided, Beca didn’t want this. None of those things happen.

What happens instead is that Beca gasps into the kiss almost immediately. What happens is that their lips almost get separated in Beca’s excitement to get closer to Chloe, but they somehow keep kissing anyway. What happens is that Chloe ends up on her back somehow with Beca hovering above her, connected only at the lips like despite Beca’s apparent excitement she’s still waiting for Chloe’s permission to do anything other than kiss her. Chloe gives her this permission, takes Beca’s hands and places them on her own hips. Beca squeezes them experimentally, like she’s trying to make sure this is actually happening. Chloe understands the feeling. The only thing that reassures her that this is not a dream is that this, really, actually, finally kissing Beca feels better than any of the times she imagined it combined. Beca pulls away, eventually, keeping her eyes closed for a few seconds after the kiss.

“I’ve been wanting to do that.” Chloe says, hand still on Beca’s cheek. When Beca smiles again, she can feel it under her palm.

“Yeah, me too.” Beca says, voice a little breathless in the most delicious way. When a girl sounds like that, Chloe thinks, you basically _have_ to kiss her. So she does. Beca sinks into it immediately, biting softly into Chloe’s bottom lip. They kiss for a while, lips sliding over each other like they’ve been doing it for months. It just feels _nice_ , with Beca. Comfortable and exciting and amazing all at once. Chloe thinks she could do this for the rest of her life. Unfortunately, cave floors aren’t exactly known for their softness and Chloe’s back is _kind_ of starting to ache. Also, Chloe thinks reluctantly, they should probably talk about this. So Chloe is the one to pull away this time, pushing softly at Beca’s shoulder until she sits up. Chloe sits up as well, until they’re both sitting upright across from each other. Beca’s hand is still on Chloe’s knee, her thumb stroking softly over the fabric of Chloe’s pants.

“So, uh—what—did that like, mean something?” Beca’s so awkward about it, rubbing her neck and biting her lip nervously. Chloe thinks it’s adorable, of course. She makes a split second decision, decides that you never stop once you’re on a roll and the last split second decision she made was kissing Beca. One that Chloe thinks might have ended up being the best decision she’s ever made. So Chloe makes another one. She lifts Beca’s chin with her fingers, makes absolutely sure that Beca is paying attention and says,

“I love you.” Beca’s reaction, again, is instantaneous. Her eyes go wide, a look of pure, unadulterated shock on her face.

“You love me?” She repeats, the words sounding almost reverent. It breaks Chloe’s heart, the way Beca says it like she’s never heard those words uttered at her before. If she thought of taking it back, which she’s not sure she ever would have, the tone of Beca’s voice definitely makes that an impossibility.

“I do. I love you, Beca the Dragon.” Chloe’s voice takes on a teasing lilt on the last few words. She tucks a stray lock of hair behind Beca’s ear, eyes still locked together. Beca looks at Chloe like she’s found something, although Chloe’s not entirely sure what it is.

It’s silent for a long time, and Chloe’s almost certain that Beca is not going to say it back. It stings, just a little bit, but it’s okay. She didn’t say it because she wanted Beca to say it back. She said it, because it’s the truth. Because there is no one that Chloe has ever met that made her heart swell and beat and jump the way Beca does. She said it because Chloe thinks Beca needs to hear it, needs to know that there’s always, _always_ going to be someone who loves her. Neither of them breaks the silence, but Chloe does scoot closer to Beca, leans into her and puts her head on the girl’s shoulder. They stay like that for a while, until Chloe is so relaxed she almost falls asleep. And then, just before her eyes slip closed, she hears Beca whisper,

“I love you, too.” Chloe’s smile is slow and soft as she raises her head from Beca’s shoulder. She tangles their fingers together, smiles a little wider when she catches the reverent look Beca casts at their joined hands. “And you love me.” Beca mumbles, as an afterthought, the words so soft that Chloe almost misses them.

“I love you.” Chloe confirms, squeezing Beca’s hands. She leans forward, waits patiently with her face only inches from Beca’s until her eyes meet Chloe’s. When they finally do, a look of reverence and an underlying emotion that Chloe now knows is love in them, she leans further forward and presses her lips to Beca’s cheek. “I.” A kiss to her jaw. “Love.” A kiss on top of her nose. “You.” Beca barely lets her get the last word out before they’re kissing again, hungry and passionate. Chloe slows them down a little, pulls away just to whisper, “I love you,” against her lips again. After that Beca is softer, like she is trying to show Chloe just how much she loves her, by kissing her slowly and deeply. Chloe is kind of happy they’re sitting down, because honestly this entire thing is just making her weak in the knees.

*

They decide that they’re girlfriends. Well, actually, Beca calls in a few favors with a friend and somehow gets about a thousand fireflies to light up the field where they first watched the stars together and there, under the light of a thousand fireflies and a thousand stars combined, she asks Chloe to be her girlfriend. Chloe, being her usual graceful self, reacts by saying that she thought they already were.

Anyway, they’re girlfriends. Aubrey, when they tell her, looks like she just ate a lemon at first, but eventually tells them that she mostly just wants Chloe to be happy. She also threatens Beca for a little bit, but Chloe pats Beca on the shoulder and reassures her, telling her it could’ve been much worse, after all.

Jesse comes back after a long time. Chloe doesn’t know how long, all the days kind of tend to blend together when you’re living in the middle of the woods with the love of your life and no responsibilities whatsoever. Either way, it’s long. They all dance around each other for a while, Aubrey and Jesse sending each other furtive glances when the other isn’t looking, Beca and Jesse not looking at each other at all at first. Chloe hates tension, but something like this needs time, so that’s what she gives it. And although the process is slow, their little gang gets better. Jesse starts smiling again, seems to stop feeling guilty whenever he lets out a laugh at something. Aubrey stops making sure there’s always someone sitting in between her and Jesse and starts talking to him again sometimes.

Jesse and Beca become close again and Chloe can see now how much it hurt Beca to be away from her best friend, her brother. They go out and do things sometimes, just the two of them. They fly around, Chloe catching glimpses of them soaring through the air sometimes.

It’s somewhere around the one year anniversary of their kidnapping when they all go out into the woods one night. Jesse collects dead twigs and branches, reshapes them into the beginnings of a bonfire that Beca lights with ease. They all sit under the stars, by the fire. Chloe cuddles up to Beca, burrowing her body into the warmth that the young dragon has to offer. Out of the corner of her eye she catches Aubrey holding Jesse’s hand, a faint blush on her cheeks. Chloe thinks to herself, surrounded by her friends and the love of her life, that dragons really aren’t that bad.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo thats a wrap I suppose.  
> Okay so I know that this chapter is long overdue. I want to thank anyone who has taken the time to read this and anyone who stuck with me even though I took forever to update. I hope you all liked it, bc I honestly still don't know how the fuck this little weird-ass fic became five chapters long tbh.  
> Anyway, thanks for reading and commenting. If you want to talk to me about lesbians or puppies or anything else come yell at me on my tumblr bigbadwolv

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone is interested, I might actually continue this.
> 
> Who am I kidding, I definitely will continue this. Let me rephrase. If anyone is interested, I will post all the other chapters I will inevitably end up writing to this instead of just letting them sit on my laptop forever and ever.


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